Cavas (The Vorge Crew Book 5) Read online

  Rage hit Cavas fast and hard for the ones responsible. “What did they do to you?”

  Crath released him and they stared at each other. “Beatings. No food. I can’t even tell you how long I’ve been here. I lost track of the days. Maybe a week? I’m just grateful to see you. Let’s get out of here. I want food, access to water, and clean clothes.” He paused. “Tell me you have a military cruiser up there.” He pointed toward the ceiling. “You need to send teams to overrun the colony to arrest most of the residents. Especially the ones running this planet. You’d be horrified over the crimes I’ve uncovered going on here. They must have figured out I was collecting evidence to show the authorities.”

  “That’s not why you were locked up.”

  Crath frowned. “It must be. I thought I was careful, but I must have tipped them off. It’s possible one of the Tryleskians living here recognized my face.”

  Cavas gripped his shoulders. “We don’t have time to talk. I’ll tell you everything later. Right now, we need to get out of here. Our escape depends on it.”

  “What do you mean escape? Of course your teams must be swarming the entire surface by now?”

  Cavas understood why his brother would think so. He’d have brought a cruiser if he were still in the military. At least five hundred to a thousand soldiers would be under his command. They could easily take control of a colony and sort out the criminals from the victims.

  “Crath, a cruiser isn’t waiting. The Vorge is. We need to go.”

  Cavas turned away and snatched hold of Jill’s hand, pulling her toward the door. Nell, the Parri, stood just outside, watching them. Cavas wasn’t certain if he could trust the male, but he wasn’t going to allow Jill out of his sight until they were safely back on the shuttle and off the planet.

  “What do you mean?” Crath followed. “Cathian brought you?”

  “This is not the time,” Cavas snapped. “Right now, we need to focus on escaping.”

  Crath grunted. “Fine. Give me a weapon.”

  Cavas removed one from his pocket and tossed it over his shoulder. He smiled when he heard his brother catch it without issue. Crath couldn’t be too hurt.

  Then his amusement died. His brother would need that weapon to defend himself. He was in no shape for hand-to-hand battle.

  Cavas strode to the center of the large cavern, visually checking the status of the guard. He still didn’t move, out cold. “Listen to me,” he bellowed. “I’m going to release all of you. Then we’ll open those doors. We’re going to have to fight our way out but there are plenty of transports outside. The colony brought a lot of spectators to the arena. It will be chaos once we leave here. Use the crowds to your advantage. Blend and mingle if you can. Do you understand? The large transports won’t be heavily guarded but time isn’t on our side.”

  He heard grumblings from some while other prisoners yelled their agreement.

  Cavas gently pushed Jill toward his brother. “The female is with us. She’s part of my team. I’m with the Tryleskian military. I’ve sent notifications to all local authorities of the atrocities being committed on Flax Colony. They are on their way.”

  He hated to lie, but he needed the prisoners motivated to escape. He would be sending evidence to the authorities, after he returned to The Vorge. “We don’t have time to wait for the military to arrive. It’s fight our way out or die. Who is with me?”

  Now all the prisoners seemed onboard as they shouted in excitement. He glanced at Crath and whispered. “Keep the female at your side, wait for them to go first, and then we leave. Got it?”

  “Yes.” Crath frowned at Jill. “I know you.”

  “Not now,” Cavas snapped. He strode away, quickly releasing the prisoners. There were over thirty of them. He had hoped for more, but it was the only plan they had.

  He went to the door and activated it. The motors came on, and the prisoners gathered in front of the massive entrance, shifting restlessly.

  As soon as the doors parted a few feet, they rushed forward, shoving and pushing each other.

  Cavas pulled his blaster, getting in front of Jill and Crath. “Let’s move! Stay behind me.”

  Chapter Seven

  Jill ran after Cavas. The big alien’s plan wasn’t her favorite. It sounded nuts to her. Couldn’t they have planned a second shuttle to pick them up on the walkway just outside the doors? Maybe brought some ropes to repel to the ground and then run for the shuttle?

  No one had asked her though.

  Both brothers had long legs, and she couldn’t keep up as they ran full speed from the mountain. The bridge was at least clear of guards. The sounds in the arena were an indication that all hell had broken loose. There were screams and shouting. A strange boom sounded that she guessed might be from those long rifle weapons the guards carried.

  They reached the other side, and both brothers disappeared inside the arena. Jill ran after them, panting, and someone slammed into her. She stumbled, hitting the wall hard enough to hurt. More bodies rushed past her. They were spectators who’d climbed to that level from the crowded seats below, fleeing for their lives. She hugged the wall, terrified of being trampled as more and more people appeared.

  A toad alien glanced at her as he rushed by, then he spun around, making a grab for her, suction cups on the tips of his fingers. His big green tongue laved his wide, thin lips, and she hated the way he looked at her—lustily.

  She wasn’t about to allow him to kidnap or assault her in the chaos.

  She had the chain in her hands. Jill fisting the handle and doubled the links, giving herself at a few feet to swing at him. She aimed for his face. He jumped back, right into the path of other fleeing spectators. They knocked him against the railing, where he fought to not fall over the edge. Rage filled his gaze as he glared at her.

  She tensed, prepared to use the chain to strangle him with if he came at her again.

  Suddenly, a large hand grabbed her arm. She jerked her head, ready to swing the chain again…

  It wasn’t yet another strange alien, attempting to snag an unprotected slave.

  Cavas snarled loudly enough for her to hear over the shouting and screams. He yanked her close and then lifted her, tossing her over his shoulder. It hurt but she wasn’t about to complain.

  She lost the grip on her leash and frantically reached for the back of her neck. With him running, her body slamming against his shoulder, it was tough to get ahold of the collar, but she managed. The latch disconnected and the collar fell off her throat. At least she no longer had to fear the chain snagging on something and breaking her neck at their present speed.

  Bodies bumped into them but Cavas kept going, using the fleeing civilians as cover. She tried to peer around, searching for signs of Crath, but there were too many bodies. Someone from behind them slammed into her and she cried out.

  Cavas held onto her legs tighter, then was running down steps. It almost made her pass out from the pain. She’d definitely have bruises where her hips were slamming against his broad shoulder. The only comfort was that it was probably just as tough on him to carry her and stay upright while attempting to get them outside.

  “Almost there!” he yelled.

  A boom sounded, and she twisted her head in time to watch as a purple alien’s chest exploded. Purple blood splattered her, hitting her face, hair, and the exposed skin on her back and side.

  Jill squeezed her eyes shut and grabbed hold of Cavas’s waist. She was pretty sure that poor alien had been shot by one of the guards. It wasn’t a prisoner she’d seen in the cavern.

  That meant the guards were just aiming at anyone.

  They were going to die.

  Cavas kept moving, though, down more stairs. There were too many. They’d taken a lift to get that high, but either he couldn’t reach it or the panicked crowd were blocking them.

  Why had she volunteered to return to this planet? Jill wished she could go back in time to warn herself to avoid doing just that. Seeing that alien explode